Hob Or Canister Filter?

[ryno1974]

I have always used HOB filters (mostly aqua clears, but a penquin and one other type once), but in my new tank I am wondering if I should stick with what I know or is the canister a better filter? have a 65g tank that came with an AquaClear 700 ( I think this is the model number, I am at work and cant remeber but it is freakin HUGE) that I plan on putting my angels, columbian shark, and plecos into with a sand substrate. I have been toying around with the idea of the 3d styrofoam in tank back ground too, and if I do that I DEINATELY want to hide all the hoses etc in the tank.

I see you guys here as well as other fish forums talk about Eheim and Fluval canister filters all the time, but dont hear a lot about the aqua clears. I had also seen a ton of setups with the smaller (sump?) tank below acting as a filter which made a lot of sense to me, but appears to be for salt water only. I am confused. Help?
Edit/Delete Message

 

[Colin_T]

Aquaclear HOB filters are great but have a limited filtration area. If you use the bigger models and replace the noodles/ceramic beads and carbon with sponges, then they are more efficient. Also go for the biggest model.

Smaller sump tanks under the main tank can be used on fresh or salt water tanks.

just noticed the edit/delete message. Did you still need help with this?

 

[ryno1974]

Aquaclear HOB filters are great but have a limited filtration area. If you use the bigger models and replace the noodles/ceramic beads and carbon with sponges, then they are more efficient. Also go for the biggest model.

Smaller sump tanks under the main tank can be used on fresh or salt water tanks.

just noticed the edit/delete message. Did you still need help with this?

I still need help - not sure what that is about.

 

[Rooster]

When we speal of "filters" we are NOT just removing particles from the water, as in say a coffee filter.... we also NEED to grow certain bacteria on the media (the stuff inside the filter - could be sponge, could be ceramic beads or noodles etc.... ANYTHING with a massive surface area)

So, the name of the game is AREA... the more media the more area, the more bacteria will set up home there !
Now this bacteria NEEDS a constant supply of oxygen - just like your body... the only place it can get this is from the surrounding water - this is soon eaten up, so needs a constant flow... heres where the pump comes in - constantly bringing fresh water and oxygen.

A canister filter is nothing glamerous... just a sealed container that holds media and a pump ! As the canister can hold more media than a "HOB" then it IS better.... a sump is just another container, with a pump, that sits under/above/at the side of - doesnt matter where, the main tank.
A smaller fishtank is commonly used.

The filter does not need to be sealed - canisters are only sealed so theres no "accidents" (plus it lets them fit a smaller pump !)
In fact, in days of yore we employed under-gravel filtration... here the WHOLE TANK was the filter.

Start thinking of the "filter" as media+pump and it will all make sense....

 

[OldMan47]

Ryno, in any of my larger tanks I am now using a canister instead of a HOB filter. I have plenty of small HOB filters and even a few large ones but the canister makes sense to me whenever I get over about 25 gallons. The little 10 gallon tanks that are used for a QT or fry grow out use sponges and HOBs. As Rooster was saying, for bio-filtration, the essential component is media with lots of surface and adequate flow. Most of the canisters have the endearing quality of providing a rather free-form container for whatever your heart desires. They are also enormous compared to almost any HOB. Another quality of a canister is that in general they are very quiet. They do not have the waterfall / splashing sounds that you get from a HOB and most are themselves designed to be very quiet. A sump would probably make an even better bio-filter but most are home made units. Unless you have some talent at designing and building in a space like a tank, you probably won't be using a sump. I have been using mostly the Rena XP series filters but also have a Marineland C series and a HOT Magnum for canisters. Of the three brands, I like the Rena the best. There are also Tetratech canisters available in the UK that look a lot like the C series. The Eheim and Fluval have their enthusiasts and since I have never had either one I can't say what they are like.